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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
 Posted - 30 May 2007 : 21:22:14
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
In the absence of published information, wing it. 
Not all authors feel comfortable freely conjecturing on something they're not working on, and pushing them on it won't accomplish anything.
If I had info I could share, I certainly would. I'm also really happy that anyone cares enough about the character to ask. But, yeah, since I'm not working on the character any more, it's really not my place to post this sort of stuff.
Cheers,
Jim Lowder |
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Mandras
Seeker
Estonia
51 Posts |
Posted - 30 May 2007 : 22:13:31
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I am sorry if I sounded too pushy. The text without speech and emotions can be deceiving. I apologize. I will not touch the last subject again.
James - thanks for the books You have written so far.
Best Regards,
Mandras
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"The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple."
Oscar Wilde |
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 30 May 2007 : 23:32:19
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quote:
Originally posted by Mandras
I am sorry if I sounded too pushy. The text without speech and emotions can be deceiving. I apologize. I will not touch the last subject again.
I didn't take it as pushy. No worries there. I really appreciate your interest. I just needed to make it clear why I couldn't offer up the information you requested.
Thanks,
Jim |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4688 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2007 : 02:57:57
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| I see you mention _Hobby Games_ not asking for much right now and perhaps you can not answer this question. You said 100 games over 50 years have been discussed. Is there any chance that Elf Quest is one of the 100? |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2007 : 03:51:59
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quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal
I see you mention _Hobby Games_ not asking for much right now and perhaps you can not answer this question. You said 100 games over 50 years have been discussed. Is there any chance that Elf Quest is one of the 100?
Sorry, I can't discuss which games were or were not picked by the authors for the book. Around the time of Gen Con, the table of contents, listing writers and the games they picked, might get posted over at greenronin.com.
Elfquest is a pretty interesting game, though. It was an early "tile placement" game, and one of the designers was Realms scribe Troy Denning.
Cheers,
Jim Lowder |
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2007 : 08:00:50
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Hi:
A quick note. For the first time in several years, I'll be doing some seminars at Gen Con this year. One is about the Hobby Games: The 100 Best book, but will likely be about great hobby games in general. The other is about freelancing as a writer and editor in the hobby games and fiction industries.
Both seminars are free of charge. Details can be found here.
http://gencon.highprogrammer.com/gencon-indy-2007.cgi/group/Syposium%2c_The/James_Lowder
Cheers,
Jim Lowder |
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2007 : 20:05:54
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Hi:
The full list of authors participating in Hobby Games: The 100 Best is now up at the publisher's web site:
http://www.greenronin.com/store/grr4001
It's looking like there will be copies of the book at Gen Con, but the number there may be limited.
Cheers,
Jim Lowder |
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 24 Aug 2007 : 18:41:51
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Hi:
I'll be doing a radio podcast Monday night, August 27th, beginning at 9 PM CST.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hostpage.aspx?show_id=48184
The recent Hobby Games: The 100 Best book will be discussed, but also any of the projects I've worked on in the past, including the Realms.
They have a call-in line 646 478-5041 for questions during the show.
They also have an e-mail address for questions: geekeratiradio@gmail.com
Cheers,
Jim |
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Brian R. James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
1098 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2007 : 00:52:14
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| It was a pleasure to meet you at Gen Con this year Jim. I am really enjoying my copy of Hobby Games: The 100 Best and I highly recommend it all gamers. Among many excellent entries, the board game Talisman has been a favorite of my family for many years and I was happy to see that it was included in the book. |
Brian R. James - Freelance Game Designer
Follow me on Twitter @brianrjames |
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2007 : 01:53:47
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quote:
Originally posted by Brian R. James
It was a pleasure to meet you at Gen Con this year Jim. I am really enjoying my copy of Hobby Games: The 100 Best and I highly recommend it all gamers. Among many excellent entries, the board game Talisman has been a favorite of my family for many years and I was happy to see that it was included in the book.
Hi, Brian!
It was great meeting you at the show, too. Glad you're enjoying the book, and I look forward to reading your own Grand History when it's released.
I'll be announcing my next big writing project on the podcast. It's not a WotC book, but something that ties back to my days at TSR.
My best to your family!
Jim |
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Victor_ograygor
Master of Realmslore
Denmark
1075 Posts |
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 10 Sep 2007 : 19:49:43
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quote:
Originally posted by Victor_ograygor
I have a question: One of my players said that your were creating Cyric out from a song: Oingo Boingo Dead Man's Party
Is this true?
Vic
Oingo Boingo Dead Man's Party
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iypUpv9xelg
Hi, Vic:
Some of the individual chapter titles for the novel Prince of Lies were inspired by songs on the Oingo Boingo album Dead Man's Party, but not the character of Cyric. However, I've often thought that Oingo Boingo lead singer Danny Elfman would make a fine Cyric in a film.
For a later Oingo Boingo album:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlCypm97zh8&mode=related&search=
Cheers,
Jim Lowder |
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2007 : 02:30:10
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Hi:
A quick note to let everyone know that I've finally got a web page launched. It could still have some bugs; I'm anything but an old hand at web design. The site's got a pretty thorough listing of my work to date. Eventually, I'll be adding more content (covers for foreign editions, review links, and so on) and I'll keep it updated as new projects can be announced.
The site doesn't have a message board, so places like Candlekeep will still be the best locations to post questions for me.
http://www.jameslowder.com
Cheers,
Jim Lowder |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2007 : 03:03:10
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quote:
Originally posted by JamesLowder
Hi:
A quick note to let everyone know that I've finally got a web page launched. It could still have some bugs; I'm anything but an old hand at web design. The site's got a pretty thorough listing of my work to date. Eventually, I'll be adding more content (covers for foreign editions, review links, and so on) and I'll keep it updated as new projects can be announced.
The site doesn't have a message board, so places like Candlekeep will still be the best locations to post questions for me.
http://www.jameslowder.com
Cheers,
Jim Lowder
Nice work James! Thanks for sharing. I gave it a quick glance before I had to go grab the baby it looks very nice and look forward to an in depth perusal. |
A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka
"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -
John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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Verghityax
Learned Scribe
131 Posts |
Posted - 09 Feb 2008 : 14:48:37
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Dear Mr. Lowder,
I just wanted you to know that Prince of Lies was recently published in Poland. I finished reading it yesterday and I must say that this book was absolutely fantastic. That's one of the best FR novels I've read and I read most of them. I really liked your heroes because they seemed so real and human. I found the scene in the asylum quite touching and Cyric is one of those rare characters which you just love to hate and hate to love. Besides, I liked Kaverin's cameo appearance. Oh, one more thing. Did general Vrakk and Gwydion appear in your Crusade? I would love to read that book but I'm not sure if it is going to get published in Poland. |
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 09 Feb 2008 : 15:58:35
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quote:
Originally posted by Verghityax
Dear Mr. Lowder,
I just wanted you to know that Prince of Lies was recently published in Poland. I finished reading it yesterday and I must say that this book was absolutely fantastic. That's one of the best FR novels I've read and I read most of them. I really liked your heroes because they seemed so real and human. I found the scene in the asylum quite touching and Cyric is one of those rare characters which you just love to hate and hate to love. Besides, I liked Kaverin's cameo appearance. Oh, one more thing. Did general Vrakk and Gwydion appear in your Crusade? I would love to read that book but I'm not sure if it is going to get published in Poland.
You've obviously read most of them if you picked out Kaverin's cameo!
Gwydion was created for Prince of Lies. I created Vrakk for Crusade and he appears there first.
Thanks very much for the kind words about Prince. As for Crusade seeing print in Poland, that does seem unlikely. There was a British and a Spanish edition of the book some years back, but it hasn't been in print anywhere for a while. Drop me a note off the board and I might be able to arrange a copy for you.
Cheers,
Jim Lowder
www.jameslowder.com |
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 24 Mar 2008 : 23:58:50
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Hi:
Some news that might be of interest to those of you who enjoyed my Realms or Ravenloft work.
Elder Signs Press will be releasing the Ebonacht Trilogy beginning this fall. It's a dark fantasy series very much in keeping with the tone of Prince of Lies or Spectre of the Black Rose
The first book is The Screaming Tower:
Superstition shrouds the island of Thran and keeps the fear-plagued inhabitants subservient to the reclusive tyrant, Lord Ebonacht, and the denizens of the unseen Twilight Court. Only Janus, an orphan whose own mysterious past is discussed in frightened whispers, rails against the tales of the Strangerfolk and the other creatures that are rumored to stalk the night. His quest to prove the old stories false will bring him face to face with the prisoner of the Screaming Tower and reveal secrets about the world — and himself — far more terrible than those hinted at in the grimmest of legends.
Elder Signs will be publishing the book as a trade paperback, but they are also publishing a very limited (50 copy) signed hardcover edition. Details here: http://www.eldersignspress.com/?p=52
You might also be interested in Worlds of Their Own, an anthology I'm putting together for Paizo for late summer (perhaps Gen Con) release. It will include stories by Ed Greenwood, R.A. Salvatore, Elaine Cunningham, Paul Kemp, and several other writers whose work you know.
http://paizo.com/store/paizo/planetStories/v5748btpy80ht
Cheers,
Jim Lowder |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 25 Mar 2008 : 03:23:38
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Wow, how unobservant am I? I know Worlds of Their Own was coming out, but somehow missed that you were editing it. That's good to know.
Do you know if the Ebonacht trilogy is going to have the fully shebang for distribution, i.e. the big name book retailers? |
Edited by - KnightErrantJR on 25 Mar 2008 03:25:29 |
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 25 Mar 2008 : 05:08:50
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quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
Wow, how unobservant am I? I know Worlds of Their Own was coming out, but somehow missed that you were editing it. That's good to know.
Do you know if the Ebonacht trilogy is going to have the fully shebang for distribution, i.e. the big name book retailers?
We should be posting the author list for Worlds of Their Own rather soon. I'm really pleased with how the book has shaped up.
Elder Signs has distribution through the major brick & mortar book chains, but I have no idea how many copies the chains will pick up. Their books are available through Amazon, etc, online, too.
Cheers,
Jim |
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 12 Apr 2008 : 05:16:36
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Quick note. Elder Signs has the cover up for The Screaming Tower. It may see a couple of minor tweaks before publication, but this is quite close to final. Art is by Martin Hanford.
http://www.eldersignspress.com/?p=52
Cheers,
Jim Lowder |
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Maias227
Acolyte
Denmark
3 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2008 : 22:11:23
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I just saw you here on the forums and I have to say I absolutely loved Prince of Lies and the character Cyric. Fantastic work:)
Now I am not sure if this has been asked before but, you use several passages from the Cyrinishad in your book.
I am intrigued by these passages as they really offer an interesting insight to some of Cyric visions. Have you written anything else from the Cyrinishad that didn't make it into the book?
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2008 : 22:42:08
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quote:
Originally posted by Maias227
Now I am not sure if this has been asked before but, you use several passages from the Cyrinishad in your book.
I am intrigued by these passages as they really offer an interesting insight to some of Cyric visions. Have you written anything else from the Cyrinishad that didn't make it into the book?
Thanks for the kind words about Prince. Great question, too.
I don't believe there was any material of that sort that didn't make it into the final book. I wrote the sections of the Cyrinishad as I needed them for the larger story. (The Cyrinishad material was intended to resonate with the events in the story at the points in which they appear.) The trick was making the book-within-the-book sound like it was indeed a larger and separate work.
Cheers,
Jim Lowder |
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Maias227
Acolyte
Denmark
3 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2008 : 08:43:12
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Thanks for the reply.
Now I can't help wondering.. was there anything you wrote in general that didn't make it into the book? |
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2008 : 18:05:18
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quote:
Originally posted by Maias227
Thanks for the reply.
Now I can't help wondering.. was there anything you wrote in general that didn't make it into the book?
I tend to create a fairly specific outline before I begin a first draft. With a project like Prince, which required discussions about the continuity of the entire Realms, coordinated with the game department, that outline's all the more important. The original proposal for Godswar, as the Avatar follow-up was first known, changed quite a bit over a couple of drafts. But the prose published in Prince was very much in line with my final outline, and I don't recall creating a lot of text that didn't make it into the book.
Cheers,
Jim |
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jun 2008 : 03:47:07
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Hi:
Paizo has posted the cover and the full table of contents to the anthology Worlds of Their Own, which I put together for their excellent Planet Stories line. The book contains creator-owned stories by writers known for their shared world work, including lots of familiar names from the Realms.
http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/paizo/products/v5748btpy80ht
Cheers,
Jim Lowder |
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jun 2008 : 06:21:12
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Based solely on the titles, I'd want to read it. Based on the authors and the titles, I want to buy it!
Is "Mather" used in the sense of "family of Cotton and Increase"?
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I have a mouth, but I am in a library and must not scream.
Feed the poor and stroke your ego, too: http://www.freerice.com/index.php.
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jun 2008 : 17:22:54
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quote:
Originally posted by Jamallo Kreen
Based solely on the titles, I'd want to read it. Based on the authors and the titles, I want to buy it!
Is "Mather" used in the sense of "family of Cotton and Increase"?
Mather is the name of one of Salvatore's characters from the Demon Wars series.
Glad the book looks interesting to you!
For people who will be at Gen Con Indy this year, we're aiming for a Gen Con debut for Worlds of Their Own and should have a group author signing at the Paizo booth during the show.
Cheers,
Jim Lowder
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Brian R. James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
1098 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jun 2008 : 06:33:52
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Congratulations Jim! Hobby Games: The 100 Best won best Non-Fiction Publication of the Year and Astounding Hero Tales won best Fiction Publication of the Year. Both were edited by Jim Lowder. Superbly done and well deserved!
34th Annual Origins Awards Winners |
Brian R. James - Freelance Game Designer
Follow me on Twitter @brianrjames |
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jun 2008 : 15:36:56
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quote:
Originally posted by Brian R. James
Congratulations Jim! Hobby Games: The 100 Best won best Non-Fiction Publication of the Year and Astounding Hero Tales won best Fiction Publication of the Year. Both were edited by Jim Lowder. Superbly done and well deserved!
34th Annual Origins Awards Winners
Thanks so much, Brian. Plaudits also go to the publishers of the two books--Green Ronin and Hero Games--and all the authors who contributed to them.
Congratulations to you, too, for the well-deserved recognition the Grand History received. I hope the nomination brings the book to the attention of even more readers.
Cheers,
Jim |
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Fillow
Master of Realmslore
France
1608 Posts |
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Questions for James Lowder
